Martin O’Malley set to return to Iowa

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is heading back to Iowa this weekend, just weeks after the Democrat — who has said he’s exploring a 2016 presidential run — was the keynote speaker at the state Democratic convention.

O’Malley will appear at fundraisers in targeted state Senate races, a source familiar with the trip said.

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It’s the second trip of the cycle for O’Malley to the Hawkeye State, and comes after he challenged the White House over its policy of deportations of Latin American children who have come across the southwestern border to escape violence in their own countries.

He will appear at four fundraisers, including one in Clinton for Sen. Rita Hart, one in North Liberty for Senate candidate Kevin Kinney, and two for Jack Hatch, one in Council Bluffs and one in Sioux City.

He’s making a repeat visit on Hatch’s behalf, after holding events with him on his last visit.

O’Malley is the only Democrat who is known to be likely to run at this point, and he has a progressive record that he could use to establish himself as to the left of runaway front-runner Hillary Clinton. (Clinton says she has yet to decide if she’s running, but most of her allies believe she will.)